Apparatus for stretching and guiding tubular textile articles



. INVENTOR. JUL/ill 2 u/vgrz ER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 J. DUNGLER APPARATUSFOR STRETCHING AND GUIDING TUBULAR TEXTILE ARTICLES Dec.30, 1952 FiledJan. 14. 1950 Dec. 30, 1952 J. DUNGILL'ER. 2,623,263

APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING AND GUIDING TUBULAR TEXTILE ARTICLES Filed Jan.14, 1950 2 vswam.s,- snm:'r 2

' IN VEN TOR.

JUL/5M Don/6,4 1?

' into the stretching device.

Patented Dec. 30, 1952 APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING AND GUID ING TUBULARTEXTILE ARTICLES Julien Dungler, Basel, Switzerland Application January14, 1950, Serial No. 138,684 In France April 15, 1949 23 Claims.(ores-55) This invention relates to apparatus for treat ing, inparticular guiding and stretching, pliable tubular objects or articles,more especially but not exclusively, tubular fabric material, such asknitted fabrics.

In installations for continuous processing or treating (dyeing,bleaching, sizing etc.) of fabrics it. is generally desirable to feedthe fabric from one stage (e. g. dyeing vat) to a subsequent stage (e.g. drier) by way of guide means, so as to insure that the diameter orwidth of the fabric when arriving at the last-mentioned stage he of adesired magnitude or predetermined value.

Diificulties have arisen in known installations of this character sincedue to the flexibility of the tubular fabric, external as well asinternal guide means must be provided. Internal guide means, however,are not only difficult to mount and maintain in position, but becomealso quite inaccessible from without the fabric if it is' desired toalign or readjustthe guide means.

The present invention avoids these and other dimculties and has as oneof its primary objects the provision of means for guiding the fabric orother flexible, tubular article in such mannerthat the external andinternal guide means work independently of each other.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide inamachine or like system for continuously feeding flexible, tubulararticles, means permitting adjustability of the guiding and stretchingelements without necessitating interruption of the feed of the articlewhereby the ultimate width of the article at the location of thedischarge end of the machine or like system may be controlled at will.

, spect to thelongitudinal axisof the tubular article in such mannerthat .the latter becomes enlarged; the dimensions of the aforesaid outeror external guide means and 'ofthe innerring means are so chosen thatthe tubular article leaves the stretching device with a considerablylarger diameter than when the article was introduced Another feature ofthe invention resides in the provision of means; forcing the'innerringmeans against pairs of upper and lower rollers of which one pair isheld in fixed position whereas the other pair is mounted for pivotalmovement.

According to the invention, at least two stretching devices are mountedadjacent each other, the inner guide means of said devices be ingimmovable and connected to each other by endless drive members, such asbelts ensuring guidance of the tubular article along its path betweenthe stretching devices.

These and other advantages, features and objects of the invention willbecome more evident from the ensuing description thereof and from thedrawings attached thereto.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an apparatus made according to theinvention, which apparatus is adapted to guide a tubular fabric (thefabric being omitted for sake of clarity).

Fig. 2 is a, top plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 1, with the fabricshown as being transparent at the left-hand portion.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of a modifiedapparatus according to the invention; I Fig. 4 is a somewhat schematictop plan view of essential parts of the left hand portion of themodified apparatus of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a schematic top plan view of an ap- 'paratus similar to thatof Fig. 2 having incorporated additional features of Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, there isg shown atransverse support I, which consists of a beam U-shaped in cross-sectionand open at the upper end thereof, Upon h the support are slidablysupported two carriages I 2, 2. Each carriage has mounted thereon-a pairof grooved guide pulleys 3, 4 and 3=-, 4, respectively, rotatable in ahorizontal plane about vertical axes, the grooves of the pulleys beingindicated at 5, 5 Fitting into these grooves are a pair of rings. 6, 6,consisting of magnetic core material coated, or electrolytically appliedthereto with a layer of copper or other non-oxidizable substance. i iThe two rings 6, 6? are removably held in contact with the grooves ofpulleys 3, 4 and 3 4, respectively, by means of a pair of electromagnet1, 1 each of which being positioned intermediate the associated pair ofpulleys and hav- ,ing its axis arranged to point substantially to-.wardthe center of the respective ring 6 or 6*. These electromagnetsforming means are adapt- 3 ed to transmit their force to said rings. Thespacing between these rings and the faces of the respective magnet cores3, 8 is such as to allow sufilcient clearance for the passage of thefabric 3 Whose incoming and outgoing portions are indicated at 9 and 9,respectively.

It will be noted that the spacing of the axes of the pulleys :1, 4 isless than that of the pulleys 3, 3 which are positioned further alongthe path of re fabric 9, thereby resulting in the fabric being stretchedas it advances.

It is desirable to position the rear pulleys 3, 3 close to the lineinterconnecting the centers of the rings S, W, or slightly in backthereof as shown in Fig. 2, in order to insure that the fabric attainits greatest Width substantially at the location of these rear pulleys;this will result in the fabric being positively guided externally asWell as internally until it loses contact with the ring 6, a without,however, causing any appreciable contraction of the fabric as it leavesthe guiding apparatus.

In order to enable the apparatus to be further utilized as a means ofadvancing the fabric, at least one of the pulleys of each pair, say, 4,d? may be driven positively to rotate in a desired direction. In theembodiment illustrated, traction is imparted to the fabric 9 bypositively rotating the pulleys 4, 4 which for this purpose are providedon their shafts I36, IM with respective bevel gears It, Ic in mesh withsimilar ears i I, li The latter gears are keyed on or otherwiseentrainable by a common shaft l3, journaled in bearings I2, I22 whichare supported from the carriages 2, 2 by arms II2, II2*-, respectively.Shaft I3 is rotated continuously, over a chaindriven sprocket I4, from asuitable source of motive power (not shown) which may, if desired, becoupled with a drier or other apparatus of a subsequent stage to whichthe fabric is continuously supplied by the mechanism illustrated.

A threaded spindle !5 passes through nut members I6, [6 which arerespectively secured to the carriages 2, 2 and mate with the lead screwportions I5 IE of this spindle, the two portions being threaded inopposite directions. A handwheel I7, secured to the spindle [5, may thusbe used to vary the relative spacing of the two carriages and of thegrooved pulleys carried there- The operation of the apparatus is asfollows:

After the carriages 2, 2 have been shifted by means of the handwheel H,to obtain the desired final diameter, the tubular fabric 9, in which therings 6, 6 havebeen inserted, is introduced into the apparatus f in suchmanner that the two rings 6, 6*- are positioned adjacent theirassociated pulleys 3, d and 3*, i respectively. The magnets I, l becomethereupon energized, to thereby draw these two rings into "meshingengagement with the grooves 5, 5 of the pulleys with the fabric 3interposed between the outer and inner rotating elements. Then, pulleys4, 4e are set in motion by "means of the shaft I3, and the flattenedtube 9 is thereby advanced so as to be distended or stretched whenpassing around the rings 6, 6 The distended fabric may then be fed toany desired piece of apparatus, such as a drier, which continuouslytakes up its outgoing portion 9.

It will be understood that the speed mechanism may be caused to begreater or less than the takeup speed in order to result in either acontraction or an elongation of the fabric in longitudinal direction.Longitudinal elongation may also be effected by applying a braking forceto the rear pulleys 3, 3.

It should be noted that adjustment of the distance between the pulleys3, 3 and 4, 4 and also, thereby, between the rings 6, 6 can beaccomplished in a very easy manner, by merely rotating handwheel I1,regardless whether or not the machine is in operation.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a modification in that ring 6 is applied againstrollers 3 and 4 by outer mechanical means in the form of a pair ofinclined rollers I8, l9 providing an angle of approximately 60 degreeswith respect to and transmitting a force against ring 6. The lowerroller I8 is journaled in an invariable angular position on a support 20which in turn is mounted on an arm 22 extending from carriage 2; theupper roller I9 is journaled on a similar support 2| which, however, isswingably held on a pin 24 on which it may be locked in any desiredangular position, by means of a handle 25 whose extremity I25 threadedlyengages the pin or stud 24, the latter forming a transverse projectionon an arm 21 which in turn extends upwardly from the support 20, beingthus fixed to the carriage 2. The rotatable mounting of the rollers I8,I9 on their respective supports may be effected by means of ballbearings 26 (one only being illustrated for the roller I8).

The rollers I8 and I3 are preferably madeof an elastic material such as,for example, silicon rubber; it is, likewise possible to construct thering 6 from elastic or light weight material which brings aboutconsiderable reduction of the weight of the rollers.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 functions essentially in thesame manner as hereinabove set forth. To insert the fabric into theapparatus, however, the handle 25 is turned to loosen the swingablesupport 2 I, so that the roller i9 is raised to enable the fabric 9 withits internal guide ring Bto be placed between the two rollers. Next theroller I9 is swung into contact with the inner surface of ring 6(through the intermediary of the fabric) whereupon the handle 25 isoperated to move support 2| about pin 24 and to lock the support 2i inpredetermined operative position. From Fig. 4 it will be seen that thelocation of the rollers I8, [3 in respect to the pulleys 3, 4' issimilar to that of the electromagnet I in Fig. 2, i. e. the axes of saidrollers lie in a plane bisecting a line which interconnects the centers"of these pulleys the fabric (not shown in Figs. 3 and 4) has beeninserted into the corresponding assembly of guiding elements which ofcourse is identical with the assembly just described.

The ring 6 may be made of elastic material or may be of tubular shape inorder to reduce puckering of the fabric or material to a minimum.

While the arrangements illustrated in Figs. 2 ande causethe fabric to bedistended along an arcuate path (represented by a portion of theperiphery of each ring 6, 6'), it is also possible in accordance withthe invention to give this path a different configuration, e. g. asubstantially linear one.

This is illustrated in Fig. 5 which shows, in addition to the elements3, 4, 6, I and 3a, 4a, 6a, Ia (already described in connection withFigs. 1 and 2), a set of similar elements 3b, 4b, 6b, lb and 30, 4e, 6c,positioned forwardlyof'the'former. The rings 6, 6a andtb, tic-areprovided with peripheral grooves, such as 28 and 28a, to accommodate Themachine will be ready for operation-as soon as the right-hand portionof.

aeeaeea "a pair of endless belts 29," 29a. Belt 29. interconnects thepulleys 6, 6b and forms, in combination therewith, the internalguidemeans for the left-hand portion of the fabric'9 as viewed in Fig.

'5; belt -29a, similarly, interconnects the pulleys 6a, 60 and with themconstitutes-the internal v guide meansfor the right-hand portion: of thefabric. H y I On comparing the arrangement of Fig. with that of Fig. 2it will be seen that in Fig. 2 the folds in the fabric were caused bythe two pairs of pulleys 3, 3a and 4, 411 whereas in Fig.=5;the rearfold is due to the four pulleys 3, 4, 3a,- 4a While the'front fold iscaused by the pulleys 3b, 4b, 3c

and 40. Accordingly, in the arrangement last described, the first pairof rotary guide means previously referred to is constituted by the twosets of pulleys 3, 4 and 3a, 4a. while the second. pairis represented bythe'two sets 3b, 4b and 30,

-4c. Similarly, the two inner rotary guide means in Fig. 5 are,respectively, the assembly 6, 6b, 29 and the assembly 6a, 60, 290..

It will be apparent that, inasmuch as the sys tem last described may bearranged to cause a very gradual distension or enlargement of: thefabric 9, it may be preferable to systems using a single pair of innerrings 6, 6a whenever a fairly large proportional change in diameters isrequired. i i 1 While the rings '61), 6c in Fig. 5 havebeen shown ofsmaller diameter than the rings 6, 6a,

- it will be understood that these rings may be proall the embodimentsdescribed have in common the provision of an apparatus for guiding aflexible'tubular object or article 9 including external guide means 3,4, 3a, 4a, supporting means 2, 2w

rotatably holding said externalv guide means in a fixed location,internal guide means 6, 8a freely rotatable inside and engageable withthe tubular object, and force transmitting means 1, 1a; l8, l3positioned on said supporting means to. exert upon said internal guidemeans, through said tubular object, a force urging said internal guidemeans toward said external guide means.

Furthermore, it should be understood that the invention is not limitedto the specific embodiments described and illustrated but that it is, onthe contrary, capable of numerous modifications and adaptations withoutexceeding the scope of this disclosure. Thus, the position of thepulleys 3, 4 on their respective carriages may be made adjustable; also,a single support I may be designed to accommodate a plurality of guidingassemblies, each of the character hereinabove set forth forsimultaneously guiding and/or feeding a plurality of tubular objects orarticles passing alongside one another.

Various other variations will be readily apparent to persons skilled inthe art and are intended to be embraced within the scope of theinvention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for guiding a flexible tubular object, comprising outerguide means, supporting means rotatably holding said outer guide meansin a fixedlocation, inner guidemeans for placement inside and forfloating engagement with said tubular object, and means positioned onsaid supporting means and transmitting a force upon said inner guidemeans, through said tubular "object and for urging said inner guidemeans toward said outer guide means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said outer guide meansincludes a pulley, and drive means for positively rotating said pulley.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said outer guide meansincludes a pulley provided with a peripheral groove, said inner guidemeans including a peripheralportion fitting into r and cooperable withsaid peripheral groove.

4. Anapparatus according to claim 1, wherein said outer guide meansincludes a pair of pulleys lying in a common plane, each of said pulleysbeing provided with a peripheral groove, said inner guide meansincluding a member having a peripheral portion fitting into the saidgroove of each of said pulleys.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said force transmittingmeans includes a magnet,

said inner guide means consisting at least in part of magnetic material.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidforce transmittingmeans includes a roller,

said inner guide means comprising a ring having an inner annular surfaceengaged .by said roller. '7. An apparatus according to claim 6, whereinsaid roller is rotatable in a-plane inclined relative to the plane ofsaid ring.

8. An apparatus for guiding a flexible tubular object, comprising,afirst pair of outer rotary guide means spaced apart in a directiontransverse to the axis of said tubular object, feed means for advancingsaid tubular object in the direction of its axis, a second pair of outerrotary guide means positioned further away from and along the axis ofsaid object, in the direction of its advance, and spaced apart in adirection transverse tothe saidaxis, first and second inner rotary guidemeans freely rotatable inside said tubular Object, first retaining meanspositioned to exert upon said first inner rotary guide means,

' through said tubular object, a force urging said first inner rotaryguide means against one of each of said pairs of outer rotary guidemeans, and second retaining means positioned to exert upon said secondinner rotary guide means. through said tubular object, a force urgingsaid second inner rotary guide means against the other of each of saidpairs of outer rotary guide means.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said first retaining meansis positioned intermediate said ones of each of said pairs of outerrotary guide means and said second retaining means is positionedintermediate said others of each of said pairs of outer rotary guidemeans.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, comprising a first support forsaid ones of each of said pairs of outer rotary guide means, and asecond support for said others of each of said pairs of outer rotaryguide means, said first and second retaining means being mounted on saidfirst and said second support, respectively.

11. An apparatus according to claim '10, comprising adjusting means fordisplacing said supports relative to each other.

12. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the spacing of said firstpair of outer rotary guide means is less than the spacing of said secondpair of outer rotary guide means.

pair of pulleys being greater than the spacing of said first pair ofpulleys, a first support having one of the pulleys of each of said pairsmounted thereon, a second support having the. other of the pulleys ofeach of said pairs mounted thereon, a first and a second rotary memberfreely displaceable inside said tubular object, first retains ing meanson said first supportpositioned intermediate said ones of said pulleysto exert upon said first rotary member, through said tubular object, aforce urging the periphery of said first rotary member against theperipheries of both of said ones of said pulleys, and second retainingmeans on said second support positioned intermediate said others of saidpulleys to exert upon said second rotary member, through said tubularobject, a force urging the periphery of said second rotary memberagainst the periphcries of both of said others of said pulleys.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14. comprising an elongated baseextending transversely tothe axis of said tubular object. said supports-being constituted by a pair of carriages slidably mounted on said base,and adjusting mechanism for relatively displacing said. carriages in thedirection. of said base, thereby varying the spacing of said pairs ofrollers.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14;, wherein each of said retainingmeans comprises a magnet, each of said rotary members consisting atleast in part of magnetic material. 7

17. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of said retainingmeans comprises] a roller, each of said rotary members comprising a ringhaving an inner annular surface engaged by said roller.

18.. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein all of said pulleys liein a common substantially horizontal plane, each of said retaining meanscomprisin a pair of rollers oppositely inclined wtih respect to saidplane, each of said rotary members comprising a ring havingv an innerannular surface engaged from above and from below, respectively, by saidrollers.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein each of said retainingmeans includes adjusting means for varying the inclination of at leasone of said rollers. r

20. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein both of said rotarymembers are of circular configuration.

21,. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of said rotarymembers comprises a pair of circular elements each provided with aperipheral groove, and an endless belt engaging said grooves andcoupling said circular elements together for simultaneous rotation.

22. An apparatus for guiding and feeding a lengthy flexible tubularobject, comprising a first pair of outer rotary guide means spaced apartin a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said object, asecond pair of outer rotary guide means spaced from said first pair ofouter rotary guide means and from the longitudinal axis of said object,first and second inner rotary guide means for insertion inside saidtubular object, and respective force transmitting means adapted to urgesaid inner rotary guide means against said outer rotary guide means andagainst said tubular object therebetween upon insertion of said innerrotary guide means in said tubular object, each of said forcetransmitting means having an axis intersecting with an axisinterconnecting the centers of said inner rotary guide means. 7

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said force transmittingmeans are positioned between said pairs of outer rotary guide meanrespectively.

JULIEN DUNGLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 7 Name Date 769,648 Gove Sept. 6, 19041,790,655 Cohn Feb. 3, 1931 2,415,185 Moon Feb. 4, 1947 2,507,599Johnson i -May 16, 1950

